For the Fallen Dreams - Back Burner

For the Fallen Dreams are a band that have made quite the name for themselves in the scene (despite many member changes). With two albums under their belt - (Changes and Relentless) - For the Fallen Dreams hit the studio with Tom Denney to produce their new album, Back Burner. So, how does the band deliver?

Back Burner kicks off with “Say What You Will,” and it’s the kind of song you would expect from the band. “Say What You Will” contains all that is good about For the Fallen Dreams: thundering drums and hard-hitting guitars. There’s a well-placed breakdown in the song that builds up successfully before the band closes out on their melodic and catchy chorus.

“Deep Down Inside” rolls right off after “Say What You Will” and comes out with deafening screams and instrumentals; signature choruses for the band follow. After fading out before a brief moment, the song returns with another breakdown and closes out hard.

“Only Unopened Arms” provides what is almost a breather for the album, despite the harsh vocals to start the song. Clean vocals sort of end up taking over this song, especially in the chorus, when even the instrumentals tone it down a bit.

The first single off of Back Burner, “The Big Empty,” starts out with quiet, yet blistering, drums and eventually leads into something spectacular. Hard vocals and upbeat drums lead the way for the verse, and then the chorus comes. It's one of the catchiest on the album.

The second half of Back Burner results in some of the best material from the band, as they further push their boundaries while retaining their old influences. “Let Go” is the heaviest track on the album and ends up being the best. It’s full of anger and chugging guitars that really back them up; it can almost be classified as one long breakdown, and as A Day to Remember proved with “2nd Sucks,” that’s not particularly bad.

The album closes strong with “Fist Fight,” and that’s a fairly good representation of the song. It hits hard for all three-and-a-half minutes and is another song full of anger. “You don’t deserve anything” finds itself repeating a couple times throughout the song.

To answer the question in the first paragraph: very well. Back Burneractually may be their best record to date. The musicianship seems to have skyrocketed alongside emotional lyrics, and the incorporation of cleaner vocals certainly doesn’t hurt at all. The band is able to showcase their talents in slower songs like “Bottom Feeders,” then take it back to the heaviness of “Complicate the Situation.”

In fact, with screams recalling Jeremy McKinnon, thundering drums, driving riffs and huge breakdowns, For the Fallen Dreams have created an album that is set to make it’s mark in the scene.

Recommended If You Like

The Plot In You; The Ghost Inside; Misery Signals; heavier A Day to Remember